Fence-wire ratchet or tightener.



No. 735,026. PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.. 0. A. WILLMARTHK; J. s.'. BARNESVFENCE WIRE RATGHET OR TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 13, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

WITNESSES. IJVV'EN-TOR Qkaxles m lnmcu: tk- W v s i ma NORRIS PETERS co.vuorounvc \usumcww. n c,

NITED STATES Patented July 28, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. IVILLMARTH AND JOHN S. BARNES, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AS-SIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO HARRY J. FERRELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FENCE-WIRE RATCHET OR TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 735,026, dated July 28,1903.

Application filed September 13, 1902. Serial No. 123,217. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES A. WILL- MARTH and J OHN S. BARNES,citizens of the United States of America, residing at Detroit,

in the county of Wayne. and State of Michigan, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Wire-Fence Ratchets or Tighteners, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to the i0accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to that class of wiretighteners in which the wireis wound upon a spool journaled in a frame and provided with suitablemeans to make a ratchet-andpawl engagement to hold it in any desiredposition against the tension of the wire.

The object of our invention is to make a cheap, simple, and efficientdevice for the purpose, which shall be composed of few parts,

and to this end the invention consists of a spring-frame adapted tocooperate with the spool to form a ratchet-and-pawlengagement,

all as more fully hereinafter described, and

shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- 7 Figure 1 is a plan Viewof our device as in use; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3, asection on the line a; 00, Fig. 2, the spool being shown in elevation;and Fig. 4 a section 0 on the line a .2, Fig. 1.

A is the spool, provided with a transverse opening a through its axis,and end flanges B B, formed with like ratchet-teeth 19 upon theirperiphery, and trunnions O O at the opposite ends of the spool, thetrunnion O being extended and formedwith a squared end 0 to form awrenchhold to turn the spool in tightening the line-wires of a fence.Both of the trunnions O O are formed with a graduallyreduced portion 0at their junction with the flanges of the spool for the purpose morefully hereinafter described.

D is a U-shaped spring-frame formed with openings at its ends in whichthe trunnions C O are journaled, the frame being preferably struck upfrom sheet metal and sprung over the trunnions so that there are noparts to get lost, the edges of the frame at its base being bent over toform transverse strengthening-ribs d.

(Z' is an opening in the base of the frame in line with the opening a inthe spool, so that the ratchet can be strung right upon a linewire, thusnot necessitating the cutting ot'the wire, and e are openings formednear the base of the frame, through which one end of the wire may bepassed should it be desired to unite the ends of a broken wire, as shownin Fig. 1.

E E are inclined lugs or projections struck up from the frame itself inproximity to the ratchet-teeth on the spool, so tha'tas the spoolrevolves the inclined side of the lug will travel in contact with theinclined side of the ratchet-teeth and spread the frame apart to permitthe spool to revolve in winding up the wire, the retrograde movementbeing prevented by the squared face of the ratchet teeth coming incontact with the squared face of the projections E, thegradually-reduced 7'o portions 0 on the trunnions acting to draw theframe together as the strain on the linewire increases.

As there is no loose or gravity dog used in our device, the spring-frameacting itself to lock the spool, it will operate in any position of theparts and lock both ends of the spool at a time.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim isv I 1. In adevice of the character described, the combination with the spool formedwith trunnions and having ratchetteeth, of a spring-frame formed withbearings and in wardly-extending projections adjacent thereto adapted tocooperate with the spool to form a ratchet-and-pawl engagement, and thegradually reduced or tapered portions at the junction of the trunnionswith the spool for the purpose described. 0

2. In a device of the character described,

a U-shaped spring-frame formed of a single piece of sheet metal withbearings in its outer ends and having an inwardly-bent portion at itsbase, a spool formed with trunnions journaled in said bearings,ratchet-teeth formed on the opposite ends of said spool andinweirdly-extending lugs or projections integrally formed with the frameadjacent to the spool and adapted to cooperate therewith to form aratchet-and-pawl engagement.

3. In a wire-tightener, the combination of the spool formed withtrunnions having gradually-reduced portions at or near theirjunctionwith the spool and having ratchet-teeth formed on the opposite ends ofthe spool, of the U-shaped spring-frame formed with the inwardly-bentportion at its base and with hearings in its free ends to receive thetrunnions and the lugs or projections integrally formed with the frameat its opposite ends and adapted to cooperate with the ratchetteeth ofthe spool to form a locking-pawl.

4. In a wire-tightener,the combination with the spool having flangesintegrally formed with trunnions having tapering portions andratchet-teeth on the opposite sides of the flanges of the spool, of theU-shaped springframe formed with hearings in the ends of the frame toreceive the trunnions and inwardly-extending lugs or projections on theopposite sides of the frame adjacent to the spool' and adapted tocooperate with the ratchet-teeth on the flanges of the spool to formlocking-pawls.

5. In a device of the character described the combination with the frameformed with ratchet-teeth and having an apertured base, of a spooljournaled in hearings in the frame and composed of the reduced centralportion having a transverse aperture and the end flanges formed withratchet-teeth,of the trunnions integrally formed with the flanges of thespool and provided with the gradually-reduced portions at or neartheirjunction With the flanges of the spool for the purpose described.

6. In a device of the character described the combination with the spoolhaving flanges formed with ratchet-teeth and provided with a transverseaperture, of a U-shaped springframe formed with bearings in which saidspool is journaled and an opening in its base in alinement with'saidaperture, lugs or projections on the frame adapted to cooperate with thespool to form a ratchet-and-pawl engagement, the inwardly-bent portionsat the base of the frame and apertures in the side walls at or neartheir junction with the base for the purpose described.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a U-shapedframe formed with bearings at its opposite ends, of a spool formed withinwardlytapering trun'nions jonrnaled in said bearings, ratchet teethformed on the opposite ends of the spool and inwardly-extending lugsorprojections on the frame having a ratchet-and-pawl engagement with thespool.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a U-shapedspring-frame formed with apertured ends forming bearings and provided inits closed end with an aperture, a winding-spool having a transverseaperture in alinemeut with said aperture and trnnnions formed integralwith said spool journaled in the bearing-apertures in the ends of theframe, one of said trunnions projecting beyond its bearing to form awrenchhold, like ratchet-teeth formed on the flanges of the spool andlugs or projections struck up from the frame adjacent to said teeth andthe gradually-reduced portions on the trunnions cooperating with theframe to draw the lugs or projections into positive engagement with theratchet-teeth as the strain upon the line-wire increases.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES A. WILLMARTH. JOHN S. BARNES. Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, HARRY J. FERRELL.

